“Jesus said to him, “I am THE WAY, the truth, and the life. NO ONE COMES to the Father EXCEPT through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV).
This statement from Jesus that is quoted above is an astounding truth. Jesus did not mince words; He said that He is the ONLY WAY to the Father, and of course He knew this statement would offend many, and rightly so, for the cross of Christ is an offense to the unbelieving world. Paul said that the gospel we preach, which is “Christ crucified” is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. (see 1 Corinthians 1:23). You see, man wants to be able to access God in his own way, and so man would like to believe that there are many ways to God, which is the reason for the many religions in the world. But God has ordained only one Way by which all men must come to Him, and this way is Jesus Christ. “For there is one God and ONE Mediator between God and men, the Man CHRIST JESUS” (I Timothy 2:5 NKJV). “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given among men BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED.” (Acts 4:12 NKJV). Many people will say that claiming Jesus as the ONLY WAY to the Father or the ONLY NAME by which we must be saved, is narrow; but the Bible says that the way that leads to life or that leads to God is narrow, and only a few find it. (see Matt 7:14). The broad way leads to destruction. (see Matt 7:13). And so all other ways to God apart from Jesus Christ lead to destruction. Jesus is the only way to God because He Himself is God. Jesus is the only way to life because He Himself is the life — in Him is life.
There is no doubt that all the great philosophers of old, and the founders of the world's religions had great ideas, perhaps they had good intentions too, but they couldn’t and cannot give LIFE to anybody. They themselves died and found themselves helpless in the hands of death, utterly defeated and swallowed up by the grave. And those who follow after them will no doubt suffer the same fate, because the disciple cannot be greater than his master. But Jesus Christ came into the world not just with great ideas, not just with good intentions, but with WORDS OF LIFE. In fact, He was the only Man to ever claim to be the Way the Truth and the Life, the only Man to ever claim to be THE RESURRECTION and THE LIFE (see John 11:25, with John 14:6), and then prove it by His death and resurrection. All the great philosophers of the world spoke mere human words, words of the flesh which could not give life to anyone. But when Jesus came, He said, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK TO YOU ARE SPIRIT, and THEY ARE LIFE." (John 6:63 NKJV). And so Jesus spoke words that gave life to men. He spoke the words of God the Father (see John 12:49-50), the words of life. The apostle John says of Jesus, that, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." (John 1:4 NKJV). And Jesus Himself added that whoever follows Him shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (see John 8:12). Yes, Jesus also died; yes, He was also buried; but what sets Him apart is that He was raised from the dead on the third day, thereby proving His deity — proving that He is over all the eternally blessed God. Amen. (see Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 3:16; Acts 20:28). Before His death, Jesus had said, “My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. NO ONE TAKES IT FROM Me, but I LAY IT DOWN of Myself. I have POWER to lay it down, and I have POWER TO TAKE IT AGAIN. This command I have received from My Father.” (see John 10:17-18 NKJV). And Jesus was right. He did just that — He laid down His life, and He took it again. Truly, He is risen! He is alive forevermore! The Bible says that Jesus presented Himself ALIVE to His disciples after His suffering “BY MANY INFALLIBLE PROOFS, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” (see Acts 1:3).
Thus, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is truth which cannot be denied, for it is supported by many infallible proofs; it is a divine truth, and it is a historical fact. Jesus, finding Himself in the hands of death, and coming face-to-face with the devil who had the power of death, tied the devil up, stripped him of all his power, and destroyed him. (see Hebrews 2:14, with Colossians 2:15). Then He walked out of the grave with the keys of hell and of death. When He appeared to John in a vision, He laid His right hand on him, saying to him, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I AM ALIVE FOREVERMORE. Amen. And I HAVE THE KEYS OF HADES AND OF DEATH." (Revelation 1:17-18 NKJV). What a glorious declaration of victory!
Indeed, our Savior Jesus Christ "has ABOLISHED DEATH and BROUGHT LIFE and IMMORTALITY to light through the gospel," (see II Timothy 1:10 NKJV). Today all you have to do to receive this life and IMMORTALITY Jesus brought is to believe the gospel. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31 NKJV). Jesus Himself said, “I am the resurrection and THE LIFE. He who believes in Me, THOUGH HE MAY DIE, he SHALL LIVE. And whoever lives and believes in Me SHALL NEVER DIE. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 NKJV). Truly, those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ do not die; we only fall asleep, and when we are absent from this earthly body, we are still alive, present with the Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven. (see 2 Corinthians 5:8). Glory to God! Soon, when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back in glory, and we are already asleep in Christ, our bodies will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (I Corinthians 15:53-54 NKJV). Hallelujah!
Truly, God’s way of salvation is not a ritual, God’s way of salvation is not a set of laws, God’s way of salvation is not a religious system; rather, God’s way of salvation is a Person, and His name is Jesus Christ. He says that whoever believes in Jesus Christ should not perish but have eternal life (see John 3:16); that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (see Rom 10:13; Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21). Indeed God’s way of salvation is very simple, so simple it’s scary. And thus Paul says, “But I FEAR, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from THE SIMPLICITY that is in Christ.” (II Corinthians 11:3 NKJV). Oh, the simplicity of the gospel! John writes: “And this is the testimony (or the witness, the record, the gospel): that God has given us eternal life, and THIS LIFE IS IN His Son (Jesus Christ). He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (I John 5:11-12 NKJV, brackets and emphasis mine). This gospel or testimony is very clear and simple. Yet many people today have had their minds corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ and have stumbled; they cannot accept how simply believing in Jesus Christ as one’s Lord and Savior can give life or bring salvation to a man. Paul said, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” (II Corinthians 4:3-4 NKJV).
Now, let me bring to your remembrance the story of the Israelites who were bitten by fiery serpents in the wilderness because of their disobedience and their grumbling, and how God provided for their salvation. The Bible says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, WHEN HE LOOKS at it, SHALL LIVE.” So Moses made A BRONZE SERPENT, and put it ON A POLE; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, WHEN HE LOOKED at the bronze serpent, HE LIVED.” (Numbers 21:8-9, NKJV). You probably know the backdrop to this story. The anger of God was kindled against the people of Israel when they began to murmur and complain against God and against Moses. The Bible says, “And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.” (Numbers 21:5-6 NKJV). When the people repented, the Bible says that they came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.” (see Numbers 21:7 NKJV). Then God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. Bronze signifies judgment, and the serpent is always symbolic of sin. So, the bronze serpent on the pole was a symbol that God had judged their sins. And by looking at that bronze serpent on the pole, those who were bitten by the serpents were healed; they did not die but lived. Mind you, the person who looked upon his wounds died. The person who looked at Moses died. The person who tried to find his own cure died. The only way for healing and salvation was to LOOK at the bronze serpent on the pole. And only those who obeyed this simple instruction lived. (see Numbers 21:9).
Now, we can agree that this is an interesting provision that God made for the salvation of the children of Israel, and I cannot explain to you by what process simply looking at the bronze serpent on the pole could save a person's life, but I know that it worked by FAITH or OBEDIENCE. I can’t also explain to you why God didn’t make more than one provision for the healing or salvation of these people. There obviously isn't any logical or scientific explanation for this either. It was God's only provision, and just that. It was the only means or the only way God ordained for them to be saved. He said that all they had to do was LOOK at the bronze serpent on the pole, and they will live. Very simple! And who can question God’s ways? As King Nebuchadnezzar rightly acknowledged, “All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He (God) does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. NO ONE CAN RESTRAIN His hand or SAY to Him, “What have You done?” (Daniel 4:35 NKJV). Job made a similar statement when he said of God, “If He (God) takes away, WHO CAN HINDER Him? Who can SAY to Him, ‘What are You doing?’” (Job 9:12 NKJV). It is high time every man stopped asking foolish questions and stepped in line with the plan God has ordained for our salvation, because God is not going to change it, and no one can hinder or restrain Him. Jesus Christ is God’s only way of salvation. The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. (see Romans 1:16).
Now, back to the story about the bronze serpent Moses raised on the pole for the healing of the children of Israel who were bitten by the fiery serpents, it is easy to imagine some foolish ones among the people, lying on the ground convulsing as a result of the snakebite, perishing. And their friends are saying, "Hey buddy, in the middle of the camp Moses has set up a pole with a bronze serpent. Just look at it and you'll be healed." And their response is, "What are you talking about, man, what good will that do? I can't make sense of that. How can simply looking at that bronze serpent on the pole do anything for me? Don't you see, I'm dying! I need some real help here!" And the friend says, "Yeah, but just look, and you will live!" And he maintains, "Ah, come on, how can that help?" And I can see him arguing and dying because he can't understand how simply looking at the bronze serpent would help. And there are some folks like this today; they want to understand the how of salvation instead of just receiving it. Indeed there are many people today who have heard the gospel, but instead of believing it, they are asking, “How? How can this be? How can Jesus be the only way to the Father? How can simply believing in Jesus save me?” And they are maintaining that unless they can understand all the processes by which God is working, they won't accept it. And thus they are perishing in their unbelief. Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that WHOEVER BELIEVES in Him SHOULD NOT PERISH but HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.” (John 3:14-15, NKJV). But many people today ridicule and make a mockery of this provision. It doesn't make sense to them, and so they reject it. Even among the body of believers, there are some so-called believers who don't seem to get it. So they’ve added their own provisions, some religious rituals or “works” that one has to perform in order to earn eternal life. Just trusting in Jesus and looking to Him with faith doesn't make sense to them. And so they have been bitten by sin, condemned to death, and instead of trusting in Jesus completely for healing and salvation, they want to save themselves — put their own antivenom and bandaid on it. And thus we have all kinds of so-called churches leading people astray with various doctrines of salvation that are far removed from God’s simple provision of grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Again, I can't explain how simply believing in Jesus Christ with all your heart and confessing Him as your Lord and Savior can cleanse you of all your sins and cause you to be born again and become a child of God. I can’t explain how believing in Jesus will give you eternal life. All I can tell you is that it will, because God says so. It works because that's what God has ordained, and it has worked for me personally, so I can testify to it. Yes, this gospel is personal to me, so when I preach it I know what I’m talking about. Jesus, hanging on the cross, was bearing the judgment of God for your sins. The Bible says, "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned, everyone of us, to our own ways. And God has laid on Him the iniquities of us all" (Isaiah 53:6). On the cross, Jesus, who knew no sin, took our judgment and became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). Today when we look at the cross, we are reminded that Jesus bore our sins, our shame, our condemnation, our curses, and our death on that cross. When we look to Jesus with faith, we receive salvation — remission and forgiveness of sins, righteousness, justification, healing, blessings, peace, joy, life.
Indeed Jesus is the only way to God, just as He Himself testified saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (see John 14:6 NKJV). Whenever you listen to a preacher or religious leader, ask yourself if he is bringing you this message, if he is bringing you to a total reliance and trust in Jesus Christ and Him only for salvation, or if he is bringing you to trust in a false religious system? Is he bringing you to trust in a religious ritual? Is he bringing you to trust in a church? And if a man will seek to cause you to trust in anything other than Jesus Christ and a complete reliance upon Jesus Christ for eternal life, then that man is a false prophet. God wants you to just believe in Jesus Christ and live! That is God’s provision. “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (I John 5:12 NKJV). And when we say this, we are not judging those who don’t believe in Jesus; it is the Word of God that judges them (by the word of their own mouth). According to the Word of God, those who don’t believe in Jesus are ALREADY CONDEMNED (see John 3:18-19; Mark 16:16): we the preachers are not the ones judging or condemning them; we are rather the ones who are trying to bring them out of condemnation. We are trying to help them make the right confession that will bring them justification. Jesus said, “And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, HAS THAT WHICH JUDGES him— THE WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN WILL JUDGE HIM in the last day.” (John 12:47-48 NKJV). Again, He said, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE JUSTIFIED, and BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED.” (Matthew 12:36-37 NKJV). Your confession (or words) will either justify you or condemn you, depending on whether you confess Jesus as your Lord or deny Him as Lord. The Bible says “that if you CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH the Lord Jesus and BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART that God has raised Him from the dead, YOU WILL BE SAVED. For with the heart one believes unto RIGHTEOUSNESS, and with the mouth CONFESSION is made unto SALVATION.” (Romans 10:9-10 NKJV). Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today, and you will have life and be free from condemnation. If you are ready to sincerely give Jesus your heart, to make HIM your Lord and Savior and thus receive eternal life, pray and call on His Name. I cannot do your praying for you, but if you need guidance, pray this prayer from your heart: “Almighty God, I acknowledge that I am a sinner in need of salvation, and I thank you for sending your beloved Son Jesus Christ to die for me and to bear the judgment for my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ was delivered up to death for my sins and was raised up from the dead for my justification. I accept Jesus today as my Lord and Savior. And I thank you that I have received eternal life in the name of Jesus. Amen.”
I share this message, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16).
